Top pilot cover plate



March 1953 J. E. CHAMBERS ETAL 7 2, 3

TOP PILOT COVER PLATE Filed NOV. 22, 1948 594M @ZEW Patented Mar. 24, 1 953 TOP PILOT COVER PLATE John E.Chambers and Thomas Esta Phares,

Shelbyville, Ind., assignors to Chambers Corporation, a corporation of Indiana Application November 22, 1948, Serial No. 61,384

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a top pilot cover plat for gas cooking ranges. In particular the invention is concerned with a top pilot cover plate that will protect the pilot light from liquids spilled on the top of the range and from gusts of wind, and will permit the heat from the pilot light to escape and thereby avoid undesirable heating of the range top.

Gas cooking ranges, constructed in accordance with current practices, are generally provided with a top plate which is imperforate except for ,the openings directly over the top burners. The

pilot light is below the top plate, and the constantly burning flame heats the top plate. This heat is transmitted by the top plate to other parts of the range, in many instances to the handles for regulating the burners, making these heated parts a hazard to the housewife. Where the top plate is of thick metal and the top burner regulating handles also of metaLthe heat from the pilot light may make these operating handles dangerously hot to the touch.

An opening in the top plate of a gas range directly over the pilot light will permit most of the heat from the pilot light to escape to the atmosphere so that only a small portion will be available to heat the top plate. In such a structure the amount of heat reaching the top plate fromthe pilot light is never sufiicient to heat the operating handles. However, an opening in the top plate over the pilot light exposes the pilot light to gusts of wind from various sources,

suchas the slamming of a door, and to dripping liquids that may be spilled or may boil over from a cooking vessel placed over any of the top burners, which may extinguish the light and thereby create a very serious hazard.

In accordance with the present invention the top plate of a gas range is provided directly above the pilot light with an opening large enough to permit most of the heat from the top pilot light to escape to the surrounding atmosphere and thereby prevent the top plate from being heated to an extent sufficient to make it the operatinghandles hazards. A cover plate secured in the opening prevents the pilot light from being extinguished by either wind or dripping liquids and yet does not prevent the passage of the heat from the pilot light through the opening. The cover plate is of such construction that the pilot light may be utilized to warm the contents of a cooking vessel or other receptacle placed on the cover plate.

The structure by which the above advantages are attained will be described in the following and, in turn,

specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view of a gas cooking range showing the relative location of various parts;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the top pilot cover plate;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view, taken along-the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view showing a modified embodiment of the top pilot cover plate.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates a gas cooking range having a top plate 3. A plurality of operating handles 4 is positioned on the front 5 of the range in fairly close proximity to top plate 3. Top plate 3 is provided with a plurality of openings in which burner grates 6 are positioned. A gas burner (not shown) of any suitable design is positioned below each grate 6. A pilot light I is centrally located in the space between the'burners.

Pilot burner 1 comprises a tube 8 leading from a gas line and an apertured disk 9 through which tube 8 extends. The aperture through which tube 8 extends is large enough to provide a circumferential space about the tube which permits a supply of secondary air to reach the pilot burner. An inclined flange l0 directs the flow of secondary air directly to the burner. A plurality of flash tubes l I lead from pilot burner to each of the top burners. The outer edge of disk 9, which supports the free ends of the flash tubes as shown, is provided with an upstanding flange l2 which helps protect the pilot light from any drafts. Top plate 3 is provided with an opening l3 directly above pilot burner 1. A bracket [4 secured. to the underside of top plate 3 adjacent opening l3 supports pilot burner I in position under opening l3.

A top pilot cover plate I5 is positioned in opening l3. Cover plate I5 comprises a peripheral o-r marginal member of any desirable form, preferably in the form of an annular disk IS. A hub I1 is disposed centrally of the disk and a plurality of radial spokes l8 connect the hub to the disk. The outer edge portion of the annular disk has a depending flange l9 integral therewith. This flange rests-on the top surface of top plate 3 around opening l3 and thereby spaces disk [*6 from the top plate. Spokes 18 extend below the bottom of flange l9 and are cut away adjacent disk l6, as indicated at 20, Fig. 3, so that the spokes fit snugly into opening l3 and prevent shifting of the pilot cover plate relative to the top plate.

Huh I! extends into opening l3, preferably beyond the bottom edges of spokes l8, and is provided on its undersurface with a threaded recess 2|. A screw 22, threaded into recess 2|, secures a shield 23 to the hub. The shield may be flat but it is preferred that it be a dished shield arranged with its convex surface against the bottom surface of hub H. The convex top surface of shield 23 causes any liquids that may drip thereon to run down to the periphery and drop from the outer edge. The diameter of shield 23 is slightly larger than the diameter of disk 9 so that if any liquids spill through opening 13 they will fall outside the circle formed by flan e 12 and therefore can not extinguish the pilot light.

Shield 23 is positioned directly abovepilot.

burner I and receives most of the heat from its flame. The large area of shield 23 exposed tothe atmosphere through the spaces between the spokes causes most of the heat received by the shield to be transmitted to the atmosphere, with only .a relatively small portion going to hub H. Hub 11 transmits the heat received by it partly to the atmosphere and partly, through spokes [8, to annular disk i=6. Since the disk is positioned above top plate 3 by flange I9, only a small portion' of the heat from the pil li h n mitted to top plate 3.

The top surface of annular disk It is smooth and is substantially flush with the upper edges of spokes i8 so that a cooking vessel or other receptacle may be seated on the pilot cover plate. Although the heat from the pilot light is not sufficient for cooking, it is suflicient to warm the contents of a vessel placed on the cover plate.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. i, the structure of the top pilot cover plate is substantially the same as that hereinabove described, differing therefrom only in the specific construction of the shield. In this embodiment the shield 24: comprises a flat disk 25 having a depending circular flange 26. Flange .28 prevents any liquid spilled on shield 24- from running around its peripheral edge and dripping from the center. 'As in the previously discussed embodiment, shield-2.4 is slightly larger than the diameter of disk 950 that liquid spilled on shield 24 will drip from flange 26 outside the circle formedby-flan-ge [2 on disk 9. The means forsecuring shield 2 4 to hub 11 is the same in both embodiments.

Either embodiment of shield 23 or 24 will serve the dual purpose of protecting the pilot light from being extinguished either by liquids which may be spilled on top plate 3 or by sudden gusts of wind that may be caused by slamming a door.

Although two preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, we do not desire to ice-restricted to the exact structuredisclosed.

We-claim:

1. In a gas range. having. a top, an openingin said top, anda pilot burner under said opening,

a pilot light cover plate comprising an annular disk seatedoversaid opening, an integral flange dependingsf-romsaiddisk and resting on saidtop,

a plurality of radial spokes extending inwardly from said disk, the edges of said spokes extending below the bottom of said flange, a portion of each of said spokes adjacent said disk being recessed to permit the unreoessed portions of said spokes to fit snugly within said opening, and an imperforate shield secured below the center of said annular disk.

2. In a gas range having a top, an opening in said top, and a pilot burner under said opening, a pilot light cover plate comprising an annular disk seated over said opening, an integral flange depending from said disk and resting on said top, a plurality of radial spokes extending in- Wardly from said disk, the edges of said spokes extending below the bottom of said flange, a portion of each of said spokes adjacent said disk being recessed to permit the unreoessed portions of said spokes to fit snugly within said opening, a hub integral with said disk and spokes. said hub depending below said spokes, and an imperforate dished shield secured to the underside of said hub.

3. A pilot light cover plate comprising an annular disk, an integral flange depending from the periphery of said disk, a plurality of radial spokes extending inwardly from said disk, the edges of said spokes extending below the bottom of said flange, a portion of each of said spokes adjacent said disk being recessed, and an imperforate shield secured to said annular disk below the center thereof.

4. A pilot light cover plate comprising an annular disk, an integral flange depending from the periphery of said disk, a plurality of radial spokes extending inwardly from said disk, the edges of said spokes extending below the bottom of said flange, a portion of each of said spokes adjacent said disk being recessed, a hub integral with said disk and spokes, said hub depending below said spokes, and an imperfor-ate dished-shield secured to the underside of said hub.

5. Apilot light cover plate comprising an ann-ular disk, an integral flange depending from the periphery of said disk, a plurality of radial spokes extending inwardly from said disk, the edges of said spokes extending below the bottom of said flange, a portion of each of said spokes adjacent said disk being recessed, and an imperforate dished shield secured to said annular disk below the center thereof, with the concave surface of said shield directed downwardly.

JOHN E. THOMAS ESTA PHARES.

REFERENCES .CITED The following references are .of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 743,861 Gregory Nov. 10, 1903 1,l2.8;64 Wiese Feb. 16, 1915 1,405,521 Kirkwood Feb. '7, .1922 1,763,295 Eng-lund- June 10, 1930 2,434,627 schi ckler Jan. 13, 1948 2,480,046 Reeves s Aug. 23 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 81,467 Germany June 11, 1895 

